CDIIC

What CDIIC does

CDIIC (CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Atal Incubation Centre) is a not-for-profit Section 8 company incorporated on 10 January 2019 by CODISSIA, the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association. It functions as India's first Defence Innovation Hub, holding dual designation under iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence, Ministry of Defence) and the Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog). The organisation runs a three-stage incubation pipeline — pre-incubation (ideation, hackathons, POC), incubation (mentoring, business plans, seed funding, IPR support), and acceleration (business strategy, networking, graduation) — targeting defence and deep-tech startups plus regional MSMEs seeking to participate in defence indigenisation. CDIIC also hosts the DGQA Facilitation Cell, which helps MSMEs register under the Directorate General Quality Assurance for vendor eligibility with the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and DPSUs.

The operating model is grant-supported rather than commercial-revenue driven. CDIIC leverages CODISSIA's 6,600+ MSME network, 2,000 members forming a proposed single defence integrator, and academic partnerships with PSG College of Technology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College and PSG-STEP. Physical assets include a 12,500 sq ft facility on 1 acre at Kallapalayam Village (CODISSIA Industrial Park, Sulur Taluk), equipped with 5-axis CNC Vertical Machining Center, Coordinate Measuring Machine, 3D handheld scanner with reverse engineering software, SolidWorks CAD licences, and an SMT/PTH electronics manufacturing line. Programmes include the CDIIC Startup Challenge, Pitch Fest, training workshops, seminars, and the recurring Startup Onboarding and Success Meets (6th edition scheduled February 2026).

The cohort of 20+ incubatees spans UAVs (Garudan Unmanned System, Skyx Aerospace, Grass Root Advanced Systems), satellite launch (Vellon Space), defence electronics and C4I (Dvizira, Edgeforce), aerospace components (Spacerolls, Avatar Aviation), autonomous systems across domains (Xnomous), AR/VR simulators (Bala Aatral, Zeekers), defence textiles (Raksha Kavach), energy storage (Greenamp), and Industry 4.0 engineering services (Virmodello). CDIIC operates from Coimbatore, one of five designated nodes of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor and a key contributor to the Southern Defence Corridor for defence sector development. Its 10-year vision is to develop the Coimbatore region into a leading defence manufacturing hub serving as an import substitution partner to the armed forces.

Name

CDIIC

Legal name

CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Atal Incubation Centre

Website

https://cdiic.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CDIIC is India's first Defence Innovation Hub, a not-for-profit Section 8 incubator in Coimbatore that runs pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration programmes for defence and deep-tech startups, hosts the DGQA Facilitation Cell for MSME vendor registration, and connects portfolio companies to the Indian armed forces, DPSUs, and CODISSIA's 6,600-member MSME network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Incubation Services (Not-for-profit): CDIIC is a not-for-profit Section 8 company established under the Companies Act, 2013. It operates as an incubation center supported by government missions (Atal Innovation Mission, iDEX) and the Ministry of Defence. Revenue is not the primary objective; instead, the focus is on nurturing startups to graduate and develop the defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDIIC operates a defence-focused incubation center providing three-phase startup support (pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration) for defence and deep-tech startups, including ideation, mentoring, prototyping, seed funding, and DGQA vendor registration. The organization also runs the DGQA Facilitation Cell to help MSMEs register with the Directorate General Quality Assurance for defence indigenization, and provides access to state-of-the-art testing infrastructure including precision machining, metrology, and electronics manufacturing facilities.

Product overview

CDIIC (CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Atal Incubation Centre) is a not-for-profit incubation center established in January 2019 by CODISSIA, supported by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, and Ministry of Defence. It is India's first Defence Innovation Hub. Rather than offering a single product, CDIIC provides a comprehensive suite of incubation services organized across three phases: Pre-Incubation (ideation, makeathons, workshops), Incubation (business development, technology support, seed funding), and Acceleration (business strategy, networking, graduation). Key service offerings include the DGQA Facilitation Cell for defence indigenization support, the Indigenisation Support Program for import substitution, and programs like Startup Challenge, Pitch Fest, and Training Workshops. CDIIC operates from its Kallapalayam facility in Coimbatore, providing co-working space and infrastructure to defence-tech startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Incubation Services
• Incubation Services
• Acceleration Services
• DGQA Facilitation Cell
• Indigenisation Support Program
• CDIIC Startup Challenge
• CDIIC Pitch Fest
• Training Programs, Workshops and Seminars
• Co-Working Space Facility Startup eco-friendly co-working space with fully furnished infrastructure provided to incubated startups at CDIIC's Kallapalayam facility in Coimbatore. Includes access to precision machining, metrology, electronics manufacturing, and CAD design infrastructure within the 12,500 Sq. Ft. incubation facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vision to develop Coimbatore region into a leading Defence Manufacturing Hub within 10 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2020DGQA Facilitation Cell established at CODISSIA on May 22, 2020, operational from June 1, 2020. The cell helps MSMEs/entrepreneurs register under DGQA for indigenization of components and guide them in certification/supply to Armed Forces. Dr. T. K. Varadarajan is the Nodal Officer.
• Atal Innovation Mission, NITI AayogcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2019Atal Innovation Mission provides support to CDIIC as one of the Atal Incubation Centres. AIM supports innovative technology-based startup enterprises through incubation facilities, sectoral expert affiliations, and ecosystem support including mentoring, planning, events, lab facilities, and regulatory guidance.
• Ministry of Defence, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2019Ministry of Defence supports CDIIC as a key contributor to the Southern Defence Corridor. The Ministry's initiatives include the Defence Innovation Organisation set up under iDEX, and the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor announced in January 2019.
• Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2019iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) supports CDIIC as India's first Defence Innovation Hub. iDEX identifies defence requirements and supports startups in developing innovative solutions for defence needs.
• Indian ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three defence forces that CDIIC has established communications with. The Army's requirements are mapped and MSMEs are facilitated to participate in Army tenders and indigenization efforts.
• Indian NavycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three defence forces that CDIIC has established communications with for defence requirements mapping and MSME participation in naval tenders.
• Indian Air ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three defence forces that CDIIC has established communications with for defence requirements mapping and MSME participation in air force tenders.
• Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPSUs are key partners for CDIIC's indigenization efforts. The organization helps MSMEs participate in tenders issued by DPSUs and supports the import substitution mission.
• PSG College of TechnologymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner institution providing technical expertise for product design. Located on Avinashi Road, Peelamedu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• Amrita Vishwa VidyapeethammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner institution. Located at Coimbatore Campus, Amritanagar, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• Sri Ramakrishna Engineering CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner institution. Located at Vattamalaipalayam, N.G.G.O Colony P.O, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• PSG-Science & Technology Entrepreneurial Park (PSG-STEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubation center partner located at PSG College of Technology, Avinashi Road, Peelamedu, Coimbatore.
• CODISSIA (Coimbatore District Small Industries Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of CDIIC. CODISSIA established in 1969, is one of the largest MSME associations in India with 6600+ members. It provides 1 acre of land and infrastructure for CDIIC, and has been organizing Entrepreneur Development Programs for 40+ years.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Villgro Innovations Foundation: Villgro is one of India's oldest social-impact incubators, providing funding, mentorship, and infrastructure to early-stage ventures. As a non-profit incubator focused on impact outcomes (including healthcare and clean energy), it parallels CDIIC's not-for-profit Section 8 structure and mission-driven approach.
• SINE - Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIT Bombay): SINE is one of India's premier technology business incubators hosted at IIT Bombay, providing co-working space, mentoring, seed funding, and prototyping facilities to deep-tech startups. Like CDIIC, it operates a structured pre-incubation/incubation/acceleration model and supports hardware-heavy ventures — making it the closest academic-incubator peer in business model and offering.
• T-Hub (Telangana): T-Hub is a large-scale innovation hub and startup incubator/accelerator supported by the Government of Telangana. Like CDIIC, it operates a government-backed, multi-stage incubation model targeting deep-tech and sector-specific verticals with mentor networks and events.
• NSRCEL (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore): NSRCEL is IIM Bangalore's startup incubation and acceleration centre, offering structured programs, mentoring, and access to investors. Its deep-tech and social-sector focus, multi-stage program design, and non-profit structure mirror CDIIC's incubation-phased model and government-aligned mission.
• CIIE.CO (IIM Ahmedabad): CIIE.CO is IIM Ahmedabad's technology business incubator with a strong focus on deep-tech, clean-tech, and sector-focused acceleration programs. Its three-stage incubation approach, sector specialization, and academic backing make it a structural peer to CDIIC.
• IIT Madras Research Park: IIT Madras Research Park hosts one of India's largest deep-tech and hardware startup ecosystems, providing R&D infrastructure, corporate tie-ups, and incubation services. Its strong focus on advanced manufacturing and aerospace overlaps directly with CDIIC's defence hardware incubator profile.
• Atal Incubation Centre Network (AIM/NITI Aayog): The AIC network is the same government program under which CDIIC itself operates. Other sector-focused AICs (e.g., at IIT Delhi, IIM Calcutta) follow identical incubation frameworks, AIM funding flows, and selection processes, making them the most structurally identical peer cohort.
• Forge by Accel: Forge by Accel is an early-stage accelerator providing structured cohort programs, mentorship, and seed capital to Indian startups. Its accelerator-style support, government-linked cohort sourcing (e.g., defence through iDEX), and pan-India reach overlap with CDIIC's mission of graduating ventures into the market.

Others

• DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence: DRDO's DIA-CoEs are government-backed centres linking research institutions with defence R&D. While not a commercial incubator, DIA-CoEs compete for the same deep-tech defence startup pipeline that CDIIC serves, making them a thematically adjacent ecosystem participant.
• iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence): iDEX is the parent Defence Innovation Organisation program that backs CDIIC; it identifies defence requirements, funds startups, and runs challenge programs. While not a direct competitor (CDIIC is an iDEX hub), iDEX is the ecosystem-level peer that allocates problem statements and funding flowing to incubatees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdiicofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CDIIC